Yeah but they are wasting their time mostly, because they don't have mechanical advantage. If instead of escaping they thrash then their chances of winning go down.
This is in any fight from a play around to a death match.
You might get away with it but there are a hundred other things you could be doing.
In a fight to the death, if this happens there is no amount of intent or willpower or escalation that will save you.
Unconscious is a person literally unable to defend themselves further.
Which is a much more accurate simulation of a life or death fight than this.